Bologna News and Analysis

Aston Villa forward set to join Champions League club for more minutes

25Aug

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Features, Premier League

Aston Villa forward set to join Champions League club for more minutes

Aston Villa have made a few major moves in the summer transfer window, with the most notable being the signing of former Everton center midfielder Amadou Onana. The 22-year-old Belgian international replaces Douglas Luiz as the team's best midfielder, as Luiz wanted a transfer away from Villa Park and joined Serie A heavyweights Juventus instead. In exchange, Aston Villa acquired center midfielder Enzo Barrenechea, who was on loan at Frosinone last season, as well as young Juve first-team left winger Samuel Iling-Junior. However, Iling-Junior and Barrenechea were not deemed ready by manager Unai Emery to be regulars for Aston Villa in the 2024/25 season, so the Lions have been looking for loan destinations for both raw players. According to a report from Gianluca Di Marzio, Ast...

The 5 most burning questions for the 2024/25 Serie A season

15Aug

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, Serie A

The 5 most burning questions for the 2024/25 Serie A season

In only a matter of days, the 2024/25 Serie A season will begin. Before the action gets going, let's take a look at the five most pressing questions around the league, including a spotlight on defending champions Inter Milan, Champions League chasers Roma, and 2023/24's most disappointing team Napoli. Will Roma make it to the Champions League? Roma have literally finished sixth in each of the past three seasons, so you could argue that they haven't materially improved since firing Jose Mourinho, who was dealt a pretty bad hand by the club's management going into the 2023/24 season despite having led the club within a penalty shootout of a Europa League triumph. Mourinho put Roma back on the map and renewed the vigor within the capital club, and now it is up to club icon Daniele De R...

What’s next for Serie A after Inter’s dominant season, Motta’s move to Juve, and Roma’s big summer?

14Aug

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, Serie A

What’s next for Serie A after Inter’s dominant season, Motta’s move to Juve, and Roma’s big summer?

Will Inter Milan's dominance continue? Or will Juventus push them for the title after hiring Thiago Motta? How do AC Milan fit into the picture with a new coach? Can Roma get back to the Champions League after a summer of investment? Will Antonio Conte turn things around for Napoli? And where does Bologna stand after losing three key figures? Let's break down some of the biggest storylines in Serie A and preview what could be next for arguably world football's most exciting league as the 2024/25 season begins this coming Saturday, Aug. 17. Who will win Serie A? Why don't we just tackle the most important question first? For the past two seasons, the Serie A title race hasn't been so much of a battle as it has been a demolition, with one team rising out of nowhere to obliterate the res...

The 10 most underrated center backs in world football in 2024

3Aug

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Bundesliga, Champions League, Features, LaLiga, Ligue 1, Premier League, Serie A

The 10 most underrated center backs in world football in 2024

As a position, center backs are underrated in general, because they have to do so much heavy lifting to stop the opposition's best attackers and are being tasked with more playmaking and on-the-ball ability under pressure - even moreso in modern football than ever before. Here are 10 center backs who are especially underrated. These are young players who haven't yet been picked out as top transfer targets, or they are more experienced players in their primes who have somehow flown under the radar, largely because they star for clubs outside of the spotlight. Joachim Andersen, Crystal Palace Even though Joachim Anderen has been operating at the highest level while starting for Crystal Palace in the Premier League, the vast majority of fans around the world don't know how good he is. ...

The best summer 2024 transfer made by every Serie A club

2Aug

By Kevin ParviziNo Comments

Features, Serie A

The best summer 2024 transfer made by every Serie A club

The 2024/25 Serie A season will kick off on Aug. 17 with the likes of Inter Milan and AC Milan in action, and after winning the league by nearly 20 points, the Nerazzurri will be out to achieve even more, perhaps looking to get back to the Champions League Final. Serie A underwent a lot of turnover this past summer, mainly from perennial disappointments Juventus, who finally axed Max Allegri and replaced him with Thiago Motta - the darling manager who nearly led fairytale side Bologna to the Champions League. Although the summer 2024 transfer window in Serie A is far from settled with players like Federico Chiesa and Tammy Abraham mired in intraleague transfer rumors, enough deals have been made so that we can fairly take stock of the window thus far. Here is a look at every team'...

Ranking the 10 best center backs in world football right now in 2024

7Jul

By Joe SorianoNo Comments

Champions League, Features

Ranking the 10 best center backs in world football right now in 2024

The center back position is becoming more of a premium position in world football these days with elite European clubs trying to lock down the world's best attacking players. Here are the 10 best center backs in the world right now in 2024. 10. Giorgio Scalvini, Atalanta Atalanta star Giorgio Scalvini gets overlooked because of all the top-class defensive talent in Serie A, and Atalanta tend to get a whole lot less press than, say, Juventus or Inter Milan. Furthermore, it doesn't help that Bologna star Riccardo Calafiori is the young Italian center back soaking up all the media attention and social media fanposts. That's for good reason, but before Euro 2024, Scalvini was seen as THE young center back to watch in Italian football after putting together a second excellent season ...